let go
Idioms-
Allow to escape, set free, as in The police decided to let him go . [c. 1300]
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Also, let go of . Release one's hold on, as in Please let go of my sleeve , or Once he starts on this subject, he never lets go . [Early 1400s]
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let it go . Allow it to stand or be accepted. For example, Let it go; we needn't discuss it further . This usage is sometimes amplified to let it go at that , meaning “allow matters to stand as they are.” [Late 1800s]
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Cease to employ, dismiss, as in They had to let 20 workers go .
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Also, let oneself go . Behave without restraint, abandon one's inhibitions; also, neglect one's personal hygiene and appearance. For example, When the music began, Jean let herself go and started a wild dance , or After her husband's death she let herself go, forgetting to bathe and staying in her nightgown all day . The first sense dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1900s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The social media company, which had 5,261 full-time employees at the end of 2025, will let go around 1,000 workers and close more than 300 open roles.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
“If we do see a downturn in the economy, it would not be surprising to see remote workers be let go first,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
"The individuals affected were not let go because of anything they did or didn't do," he added.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
The company let go of 89 workers in January, part of restructuring the company’s global brands team, a Mattel spokesperson told the Los Angeles Business Journal.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Jimmie let go of my hand, and he and the football players ran ahead.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
